1. Field
The present invention relates generally to web browsers and search engines and, more specifically, to user interfaces for web browsers using speech in different languages.
2. Description
Currently, the Internet provides more information for users than any other source. However, it is often difficult to find the information one is looking for. In response, search engines have been developed to help locate desired information. To use a search engine, a user typically types in a search term using a keyboard or selects a search category using a mouse. The search engine then searches the Internet or an intranet based on the search term to find relevant information. This user interface constraint significantly limits the population of possible users who would use a web browser to locate information on the Internet or an intranet, because users who have difficulty typing in the search term in the English language (for example, people who only speak Chinese or Japanese) are not likely to use such search engines.
When a search engine or web portal supports the display of results in multiple languages, the search engine or portal typically displays web pages previously prepared in a particular language only after the user selects, using a mouse, the desired language for output purposes.
Recently, some Internet portals have implemented voice input services whereby a user can ask for information about certain topics such as weather, sports, stock scores, etc., using a speech recognition application and a microphone coupled to the user's computer system. In these cases, the voice data is translated into a predetermined command the portal recognizes in order to select which web page is to be displayed. However, the English language is typically the only language supported and the speech is not conversational. No known search engines directly support voice search queries.